Banjo Hangout Top 100 Old Time Songs

Cluck Old Hen

I learned this C tune from a 1931 Okeh recording of the Mississippi old time string bad the Newton County Hillbillies, featuring Alvis Massengale on fiddle. It's a practice recording from a few years ago, uploaded for the 11/11/22 Old Time TOTW. I am three finger picking my 1928 Vega Tubaphone with a semi-fretless conversion neck, in double C tuning (gCGCD)

My take on Roscoe Holcomb's (Rosko Halcomb's) classic 2ftl version of "Single Girl" in open D tuning (f#DF#AD)

2010 on Jason Burns #3

A bit of Prohibition and Depression era history here, the poor farmer couldn't make enough money raising cotton. Four Cent Cotton led to raising corn instead for whiskey. Times haven't changed so much, sad to say. This arrangement comes from the early recording of fiddler Lowe Stokes.

Clawhammer banjo in aEAc#e

Elizabeth Cotten learned this tune in 1910 from a man aged about 50. She added the words.

Two finger thumb lead. Banjo tuned fDGCD.

Clawhammer style, gDGCD (relative). 1964 Gibson RB-175.

A fun song to play and sing, Forty Weight of Gingerbread uses some floating lyrics you can cater to your own tastes. It sounds like someone has a sweet tooth!

Rose Conley, 2 finger thumb lead, based on Grayson & Whittier's 1927 version, tuned a half step or so low out of standard "G"

Based on Doc Watson's banjo playing, he learned this as a child from his uncle Jake Miller and said it was a courting song. It was a pleasure to look at the video, hear his banjo and vocals, and learn his solo, as well as see him performing with his son Merle. The video is an entire live performance if you're interested. Nice TOTW choice by Neill Connor!

I'm uploading this Marcus Martin tune as my contribution to the 1/29/21 old time Tune of the Week. The fiddler is my good friend John Maguire. We recorded it exactly one year ago, today.

Based on Ola Belle Reed's version for which you can read a lot of background on the Tune of the Week for 1/8/21. I used to think it was a bluegrass song, but it was old-time first.

Such a compelling old time tune handed down to us from the great Hobart Smith. I prefer to play it at this slow groove tempo.